Auror Dixon sat in his office going over the evidence that has been gathered so far on Lily Potter's mysterious death.
If he was being honest then he would say that it was a sloppy cover-up for a murder. Unfortunately, it wasn't so sloppy to lead to who killed Lily outright. Auror Dixon would love to slap Lord Potter with a murder charge but to do his job correctly he needed to pursue the evidence and not his gut. That was the only way someone as popular as Potter would ever be convicted, through hard unmistakable evidence. He sighed heavily, he needed more than caffeine to get through the rest of the pile of complaints filed against Potter while he had been an Auror.
"That was a heavy sigh from the man who is in charge of the case of a lifetime." Auror Compton said from her desk across the way.
"Pah, case of a lifetime my ass. This is a case that is going to piss a lot of people off and it'll be on my head if anything goes wrong. Bloody hate celebrities." Dixon huffed.
"Awe poor baby. Maybe you shouldn't have been so vocal about your dislike of Auror Potter. They needed someone who wasn't going to pander to the Potter name. You're it. Otherwise, they were going to call in ICW Aurors and none of us want them poking around in our own affairs."
"Maybe ICW should be brought in. They would certainly have less of a problem getting through the political BS than I am having."
"Well that sounds like a call you'll have to make, but it is bound to piss off even more people if you call in the ICW over their heads."
"You mean the Minister."
"I mean the Minister, the Wizengamot, and our boss. They would all be pissed."
The thought of pissing off the head of the auror department filled Dixon with dread, but he wasn't sure he had much of a choice. Anyone that heard he was investigating the murder of Lily Potter immediately clamed up, which wasn't only suspicious but beginning to piss him off.
"Thanks for making me feel better Compton." Dixon drawled sarcastically.
"Anytime!" Auror Compton said cheerfully, grinning a bit too sadistically for Dixon's comfort.
"Why does everyone in this office hate me?" Dixon asked himself rhetorically, but of course, Compton had to answer him.
"Because you are a teacher's pet and overachiever."
"Fuck off Compton."
"Make me Dixon."
"Children, please stop fighting and get back to work." Auror Proudfoot called from further into the office. "Also, Auror Dixon, if you plan to call the ICW into your investigation, I suggest you do so from Gringotts."
Dixon blinked slowly, having not expected anyone to help him piss off the majority of their bosses. Dixon saw the wisdom in doing the meeting at Gringotts though. It was neutral ground and the Ministry couldn't interfere or block the ICW from hearing the case. Once the case was read and signed over with goblin oversight, the Ministry would have no choice but to allow the ICW to do their job.
"Thanks, Auror Proudfoot, I think I will do that," Dixon called back as he gathered all of the relevant information for Lily Potter's case.
"Well with you pissing everyone off it won't be boring in here for the next couple of weeks," Compton said with a grin.
"Yes because that's my goal, just to entertain you, Compton." Dixon sarcastically shot back as he made his way out of the office quickly so he could floo to Gringotts. The sooner he handed this case over, the sooner he could watch someone put Potter in his rightful place and he could get a full night's rest again.
*SC*
"He's coming!" Hadrian shouted as he ran into the Malfoy gardens alerting everyone to Severus' arrival.
"Everyone take your places and be quiet!" Narcissa ordered as she grabbed Draco and Hadrian to hide behind some of the hedges.
Lucius stood nervously alone underneath the pergola located near the center of the gardens. They had spent the last several days setting up and planning a perfect proposal and engagement party, as long as Severus actually said yes this time.
"Lucius I am not going to play hide and seek with you like we are children, tell me where the bloody hell you are!" Severus shouted, clearly frustrated with their ruse to get him to the manor.
"I'm under the pergola, or you could just use a direct me spell. Are you a wizard or not Severus?" Lucius taunted with a smirk. It was way too easy to rile his lover up. The answering growl was enough for Lucius to know he was going to have to talk fast once Severus found him. Hopefully, he doesn't run into any of the others on his way to finding Lucius.
Tom was shaking his head from his hiding location behind the water fountain. Lucius just couldn't help but push Severus' buttons. Those two give him heartburn on the best of days. Why couldn't they behave long enough to get through this bloody proposal? Even their children knew how to behave longer than they did, which was probably Narcissa and Nick's influence on raising Draco and Hadrian.
Nick who was hiding not far from Tom, heard him grumbling about the stupidity of grown gay men and why couldn't they just get along for one bloody hour. Nick had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing at Tom, even if the dark lord had mellowed out in recent years, Nick did not want to tempt his fate by laughing at the dark lord. Cissa would carve his heart out herself for 1- ruining Lucius and Severus' proposal, and 2- pissing off the dark lord.
Everyone held their breath as Severus entered the hidden grove where the pergola and Lucius were located. Narcissa had spent several hours with the boys decorating the area with fire-less candles, flowers, and coaxing ivy to perfectly wrap around the pergola. Severus had better like it or else he better sleep with one eye open because she would hurt him in his sleep.
"Lucius… what?" Severus seemed to have been slightly stunned, not expecting to find this when he had received the taunting letter for Severus to come find Lucius at the manor.
"Well come closer my love, I promise not to bite," Lucius said with a smirk.
"Since when? You always bite."
"Severus, just come here."
Severus frowned a little but approached Lucius, he saw on the table under the pergola laid a large spread of charcuterie, more than he would normally expect for just the two of them, which immediately made him suspicious. Studying Lucius he seemed nervous but not overwhelmingly so.
"What is this about Lucius?"
"You insisted that I do this better, so this is me doing better," Lucius spoke as he slid down onto one knee, watching Severus' dark eyes go wide. Silly man didn't really expect him to propose twice, but Severus had always underestimated his worth. Pulling out an elegant silver box, Lucius opened it, showing Severus an elegant goblin-made ring, the tungsten band had one grey diamond and one black sapphire inlaid with Celtic knots going around the rest of the band.
"Severus Prince, I have known you since you were a wide-eyed and lost first year, already picking fights with Potter and Black. You were already brilliant, you amazed me with your spell creation and not only changing the formulas of potions in the textbook but then correcting Slughorn in class!"
"He was an idiot who should have never received his mastery, or been allowed around children." Severus sneered.
"Sev, my love, shut up. As I was saying, your mind has astounded me for years and then as you grew up you never backed down from a challenge, not from anyone, and just when I thought I couldn't love you anymore, you go and take in Hadrian. A hurt little boy that didn't have to be your responsibility but you took him in and loved him and became a wonderful father. I have never seen you so happy as the time Hadrian called you Dad and you two became a family. I know I will never be first in your heart, that belongs to Hadrian, but I ask that you make room for me and I already know you love Draco. Will you marry me, Severus? I want to show the world that you are mine for real this time. I want the four of us to be a family." Lucius knew he laid it all out there and if Severus rejected him now that there would be nothing left for them.
"Oh Lucius, you have always had a way with words," Severus spoke, sounding a little more breathless than he would like. "Fine you bloody peacock, we can get married."
Happy squeals from one of the nearby hedges alerted Severus that they were not alone before two little boys plowed into him, knocking him over.
"Boys, be gentle with Severus, Lucius will want to break him later himself," Narcissa spoke with a smirk as she followed the boys at a more sedate pace. Tom roared with laughter as he and Nick also joined them under the pergola.
Tom helped Severus stand up while Hadrian and Draco ran around in circles shouting that their Dads were finally getting married.
"It is good you said yes Severus," Tom said clapping Severus on the shoulder.
"Why does it sound like bad things would have happened if I had said no?" Severus asked suspiciously, leaning slightly away from Tom.
"Well you don't have to worry about it now, you said yes. Congrats my friend, you deserve some happiness." Tom smirked before rounding the boys up to partake in the food on the table, summoning a house elf for sparkling apple cider for the boys and champagne for the adults. Once everyone had a glass Narcissa lifted hers up to start a toast.
"To Severus and Lucius, may your marriage be filled with love and happiness!"
"To Severus and Lucius!" Nick and Tom chanted back, grinning at both men's embarrassment.
Severus may be embarrassed now, but Lucius knew in his sneak Slytherin mind that Severus was already plotting his revenge for when he could return the favor. It wouldn't be long before he could get Narcissa and Nick back, but it would be much longer to pay Tom back.